Chapter 73: Spirtual Week, Day One

The Fourth Queen’s estate was quiet that afternoon.

It’s her chess afternoon.

Minerva sat by the window with a cup of tea, raven hair pooled over one shoulder. Across the board, Prince Bradley rested his chin on his fist, studying a knight he’d lost three moves ago.

Beside the table, a maid in a clean white apron finished her report with a respectful bow.

"...and that is everything I’ve heard, Your Majesty. The nuns say the Fifth Prince has been wiping windows, scrubbing floors, and singing hymns in the morning. He greets every sister by name, and they say a few of them are blushing."

"Mm."

Minerva sipped her tea and moved a bishop.

Since she’d sided with the peerage, she couldn’t show her face at the church without raising flags. A queen of the nobles walking into the nest of the Melcian faithful would start rumors by sundown. So she kept her distance, and her best eyes on the convent were the maids. Half the servants in her house had a friend, a cousin, or a sister who attended the church, and servants always knew more than their masters.

"Is that all?"

The maid hesitated.

"There is... one more thing, Your Majesty."

"Speak."

"Everyone in the convent is saying the Fifth Prince is in a secret relationship with the Mother Superior. Some say he carries grapes to her room, others say they call each other pet names, a friend of mine swore they spend nights in her chambers."

...Crack! The teacup split in Minerva’s hand.

Then she shot out of her seat so fast the chessboard rattled.

"HOW DARE HE?!"

The maid yelped and covered her head.

"Mu!" Bradley caught his queen before she toppled.

"Dancing around with nuns in a church! In a church! That boy has no shame at all!"

"Your Majesty, I don’t think there was any dan—"

"I can forgive him sneaking around the brothels! A young man is foolish, I can overlook that! But this is too far! Must he surround himself with women wherever he goes?! Does he need a harem to breathe?! And the Mother Superior?! That rumor is stretched too far! Isn’t that woman hundreds of years old?! Does Little Fifth not know the dangers of older women?!"

Bradley kept his eyes on the board.

"Mother... isn’t that exactly what you do?"

"Quiet!"

"...Yes, Mother."

Minerva smoothed down her dress and took a breath.

"We’re paying Little Fifth a visit at the church!"

Bradley finally looked up. "Why? You just said you can’t be seen there. And why am I going?"

"Because I said so!"

She testily marched away on her clacking heels.

"I’m carried you in my womb for nine months, so you don’t get to question me!"

Bradley sat there, looking at the chess pieces.

’If I remember right... didn’t she use [Blood Magic] to speed up my gestation? That was more like five months.’

...Sigh, he followed his mother.

...

Spiritual Week had officially begun. 𝔣𝖗ⅇℯ

It was the largest gathering in centuries.

Carriages had come from every city in the nation, and pilgrims filled the roads leading up the mountain like a long line of ants. The event would last seven days, and it was held at the Grand Cathedral of Melcia, a gigantic complex on the highest peaks of the Azapita Mountains.

It’s only natural... the Church controlled a staggering amount of land, so it’s essentially a state within a state.

The first day was the Arrival and Opening Ceremony.

The great hall was packed shoulder to shoulder.

A few nobles loyal to the Church sat awkwardly among the commoners, trying to look humble.

And for the first time in centuries, royals were in attendance.

So, servants didn’t waste time to clean the royal box.

The First Queen and her son sat on one side.

The Fourth Queen and her son sat on the other.

Minerva wasn’t looking at the stage as she’s too busy scanning the crowd below.

’Where is that rascal?’

Someone tapped her shoulder.

"...Hm?"

"It’s been a while, Erva~"

A golden-haired young man was leaning over the back of her chair, waving at her with a bright smile.

"...Oh, Adonis?" Minerva blinked.

"I’m a royal, aren’t I?" He tilted his head. "Or did Father strip that away from me completely while I’ve been gone?"

Minerva folded her arms beneath her majestic chest.

"Hmph, as if I’d let such happen."

Before she could say more, the hymns began.

A line of nuns in white habits stood on the stage and sang until the church people burst into applause.

A tall man stepped up to the pulpit, and the applause died at once to show respect.

Cardinal Feldwin.

He’s a lanky, pale-skinned man with medium black hair combed neatly back. He wore a dark-blue cassock, and he looked out over the crowd like he’d been waiting for this day for a very long time.

Adonis narrowed his eyes.

’So that’s Feldwin. He’s supposed to be the main villain of this volume. But Pope Verdigris is still alive now, so I don’t know how much has changed.’

Then there’s the matter of Feldwin’s faction.

Two people stood behind the cardinal.

The first was a woman who looked like a scarlet-haired lioness with, golden eyes, a fierce warrior’s body in revealing armor, and an ornate greatsword sheathed across her back.

...Shine! One of her canines was sharp and pronounced.

The second was a golden-haired mage in a light-pink vest over classy white attire.

’Rory Centuria and Curtis.’

Adonis tilted his head.

’They turn out to be demons working for Feldwin in the novel. But that doesn’t make sense. Pope Verdigris has an extreme prejudice against other races. Why would he let demons walk around his church? Something weird is going on.’

So lost in thought, he didn’t realize how long he’d been staring until Rory met his eyes and gave him a mild, sharp-toothed smile.

"...Hm?"

Feldwin began to preach.

He spoke about humility, and how a crown was nothing before the gods. He spoke about charity, and how those who hoarded gold would find their pockets empty at the gates of heaven.

Then he spoke about the sanctity of marriage.

"A man and a woman, bound before the heavens, and no one else."

His eyes glared viciously at Minerva, and soon, so did every eye in the chapel.

"There are sinners who rule this nation. They sit in comfort and believe the gods are blind. But like everything in history, it is only a matter of time. One day they will be forced to drink from the cup of their consequences."

Minerva’s raven hair began to float like the tentacles of a snaky octopus, her eyes burned red, and her nails sharpened into claws that clawed the wood of her armrest to splinters.

Adonis noticed it immediately and rested both hands on the seething Fourth Queen’s shoulder.

"Erva. Breathe."

Usually, this is where Bradley got protective but he too was infuriated by the cardinal’s words.

Up on the pulpit, Feldwin continued with his hands folded.

"Those who live in excess will always call their sins tradition. Those who take what isn’t theirs will always call it destiny. And those who sit on thrones built on the tears of the many will find that the heavens are patient, but not forever."

When he finally closed the holy book, the entire hall gave a thunderous standing ovation and the cardinal took his leave.

...

Cardinal Feldwin walked down the white corridor with his hands tucked behind his back and his eyes calmly closed.

Rory and Curtis followed a few steps behind.

The latter was the first to speak.

"Cardinal, was there a reason you provoked the Fourth Queen back there? Blood witches are extremely powerful, even against high-ranking demons like us."

"I wanted to see how the boy would react."

"...The boy?"

Rory yawned wildly. "Oh, blondie?"

Feldwin nodded coolly.

Curtis thought it over.

"Well, that makes sense. The Fifth Prince was studying us closely during the sermon, and he stayed very calm when you tried to provoke Queen Minerva. So it’s possible he refuses to play into our hands because he already knows our plans?"

Feldwin smiled.

"Rather, he suspects us. But the boy is still clueless."

A wide, cocky grin spread across Rory’s face.

She punched her fist into the palm of her other hand.

"If you want me to crush him, I’ll gladly do it."

Feldwin shook his head. "No, too early. It would interfere with our plans for the First Prince... moreso, the boy is important to our dream of a new world."

Rory rolled her eyes and threw her hands behind her head.

"Well, that’s boring..."

Cardinal Feldwin smiled confidently.

"If it’s any consolation, I also want him dead. But we’ll have to exercise some patience."

...

By evening, the crowds were pouring out of the cathedral with smiles on their faces.

Adonis was one of them.

He walked Minerva and Bradley back toward the carriage with the sun turning the mountain gold behind them.

Bradley was grumbling in the back.

He watched Adonis chat up his mother until she was giggling like a girl. Every time he wanted to step in, he remembered she was the one who’d told him to give them some privacy.

"He’s hitting on Mother like a pig... that damn swine..."

Up front, Adonis walked beside the elegant raven-haired woman with his hands behind him.

"Will you be coming to the charity event tomorrow?"

Minerva gave him a gentle side glance.

"Why? Do you not want me to come?"

"Of course I do." ℴ

"Maybe it’s because of that greedy half-elf who seems to have your attention. Or did you think I wouldn’t know?"

Her raven hair slowly turned green.

’That means she’s jealous.’

Adonis chuckled. "It’s not as serious as you think."

Minerva’s lips parted gently.

"Oho. So there is something there. Then you should be careful not to be deceived by older women, Little Fifth. Not all of them are trustworthy."

"And you are?"

Minerva flicked open her ornate fan of black and red fabric and lifted her chin proudly.

"Hmph. Of course. I’ve breastfed you, after all."

Adonis stopped walking, but not Minerva who strolled out of the church grounds with her son hurrying after her.

"...Mm, women."